Your Questions

Q

What is the efficacious word? Also, are you a Red Sox fan? Jonathan

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

The efficacious word begins with F. It has 4 letters. Of course I'm a Red Sox fan and we hate the New York Yankees who are, it must be admitted, very efficacious.

Q

The Sharpe books are thrilling. Thank you for many happy hours. Any plans for future Sharpe books? Many thanks! Iain Harvey

I heard a rumor recently that you are planning to have Sharpe spend his next adventure in Halifax and that there will be a return of Obadiah Hakeswill (despite his apparent 'execution'). Is there any truth to these? David

Hello Mr. Cornwell! I fear I am not the only one who asked you the following question: Is there another Sharpe-Book after "Sharpe's Escape"? And if, when could I buy it? :-) I'm a great fan of your books from Germany. They are my reason to learn the english language. Indeed! Stefan Theile

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have been a great fan of the Sharpe books for many years now and seeing that you've written 20 Novels on his Adventures now will you being stopping or will we being seeing more of Richard Sharpe on the shelves after Sharpe's Escape? Neil Stevens

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

No truth at all to Sharpe being in Halifax! I'm sure he'd love to go there (nice place), but a severe lack of French enemies. As for Hakeswill? No! But perhaps he had a twin brother? There will be more Sharpe books - but probably not for a year or two.

Q

What do you think the outcome would have been if Wellington had been in charge of the British forces in America during the War of 1812? Jonathan Mullins

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

Much the same (though he would never have fought New Orleans). He was offered the job (in 1814), but turned it down - he was always opposed to the war and said he would accept the North American command only if he was positively ordered to take it, and only if he was left free to negotiate a peace with the Americans! He was, incidentally, a great admirer of George Washington and kept a portrait of Washington in his country house. His belief, as I understand it, was that the USA was simply too big for the small forces the British had committed - what did it matter if you burned Washington DC? It achieved nothing except give the White House its name, and the Americans simply retreated into the vast hinterland and the British didn't have nearly enough men to follow them (because it would have meant garrisoning every town on the way to protect the supply lines). He was much too sensible to fight in so vast a country.

Q

Greetings Mr. Cornwell; I will get right to the point, if I may sir. In your book, " The Archer's Tale" which I read a while back, I believe the "Black Prince" knights Willam Skeat on the battlefield. Do you know sir, if an archer was ever really knighted in the middle ages? and if so whom and by whom? An Avid Reader of your medeival books Robert Laiche

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

I know some were - but they had risen to command companies by then. I'd have to rake back through my notes to find the reference, and I will when I have time - but yes, it did happen.

Q

Hi Bernard, Just halfway through The Last Kingdom.. Awwww smashing, I don't know how you do it but I'm sure glad you do. However is there a tiny little error in this book? Look at page 169 third paragraph.Quote .... but it was late in the day and the sun was in his men's eyes, or so they said afterwards, and King AEthelred, like Aurthur,...??? What's Aurthur doing in this book? ooops. Keep up the good work mate Uhtred is turning out every bit as good a character as Derfel. regards, Tony Henry

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

Oh gawd. Thankyou. Oh dear, I did actually run a spell-check looking for Arthur and thought I'd found every one (three), but that fourth one slipped through. Yuk. There are also misprints on the dedication page, p. 66 and page 166 - the word should be araed.

Q

Bernard (excuse the familiarity) Do you intend to revise the published Sharpe books when they are reprinted to remove inconsistencies? For example in Sharpe's Eagle in chapter 14, Sharpe states that he has never met General "Daddy" Hill when he had a conversation with his a few weeks before on the roof of the Seminary in Oporto (Sharpe's Havoc). I expect others have raised these before and to be honest its the first I have found as I re-read the entire Sharpe canon. As I do when a new book is published. Regards Gary (Burgess)

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

Perhaps - it is a possibility - but not until the series is finished, which won't be for at least a few more years.

Q

Hi, I was just wondering what book you are working on now? Brendan

Submitted October 15, 2004

A

I'm working on the follow-up to The Last Kingdom. The book may have the title The Shadow Queen - although that could change.

Q

Dear Mr.Cornwell I started reading the Sharpe books last year in order starting with Sharpe's Tiger. I am now finished with Sharpe's Company and just wanted to know how did Sergent Hakeswill escape from the snake pit in Sharpe's Fortress? Nick Allen-Stewart

Submitted October 15, 2004

A

The snakes wouldn't touch him! He survived. He couldn't be killed (says so in the scriptures). If you were a snake, would you bite him?

Q

Sir, I have enjoyed reading the first handful of books in the Sharpe series, and especially enjoyed, Sharpe's Fortress. I tried but I cannot easily find any more information on, Sieges in the same era with the same tactics and information about the guns used etc. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks John Hofman

Submitted October 15, 2004

A

The Sharpe Companion, by Mark Adkin, has a very accessible chapter on siege warfare (under 'Sharpe's Company') and that's a very good place to start! And I think Osprey Publishing did a book on Napoleonic siege artillery.

Q

Hello Bernard, I must say I do feel a bit silly contacting you like this as I am not sure if you reply and even if I get one that you will be the one writing it. No offence I mean you must get loads of people writing and so may not be able to reply to all. Just dropping a quick note to say how much I enjoy your Sharpe novels. They are in a league of their own. I am so pleased that they are always available for me to buy whenever I walk in to a book shop. Not many of my friends at school read your novels but I think they are awesome!!!! I love the image of Richard Sharpe and it is even better as there are not many images of him so it leaves his appearance to your own imagination. I sometimes get confused about the ranking system in the British army so I was wondering if you could maybe help me out in your reply. Battalions, regiments, companies and platoons, it all gets very confusing. Harper is the mosty brillaint sidekick ever and would not want to annoy him in the slightest. Overall the characters, plots, desrciption and style of your writing is second to none. As the Napoleonic period is my favourite I am really keen to read all the books I can. My only critiscism is that in many of the Sharpe books the detalils of him are repeated. For example his sword, I know this is for the new readers so they can get an understanding but it can be annoying for "experts" as I like to call myself. Well I have to go now and hope you can find the time to reply, With thanks Richard J Raban- Williams

Submitted October 15, 2004

A

A regiment is the parent organisation and was, usually, divided into two or more battalions. Just to confuse you some regiments were single battalions, but usually there were two or more. Battalions rarely fought together. Thus, a random example, the 1st Battalion of the 88th Regiment (the Connaught Rangers) spent most of the Peninsular War in Portugal and Spain while the 2nd battalion was on home duty and then part of the Gibraltar garrison. On paper a battalion was supposed to have 1000 men, but they were usually in the 500 to 800 range. A battalion was divided into ten companies, one of which was the Light Company which specialised in skirmishing. A company could be divided into two platoons, but that was up to the battalion commander, and the platoon rarely operated on its own - the minimum deployment would be one company. Makes sense now?